Kochi, 23 May (H.S.):

CPM leader and former Kerala minister P. Rajeev on Saturday raised serious objections to the appointment of IAS officer Rathan Khelkar, the former Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Kerala, as Secretary to Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan. Rajeev urged the Congress high command and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi to clarify their stand on the appointment, arguing that it raises concerns over consistency in the party’s position on electoral neutrality.

Addressing the issue, Rajeev said the appointment was a matter of “serious concern” and drew comparisons with previous remarks made by Rahul Gandhi regarding similar appointments elsewhere. He recalled that Gandhi had criticised the appointment of a former Chief Electoral Officer in West Bengal to a top administrative position, questioning the propriety of such decisions.

Rajeev referred to Gandhi’s earlier allegations regarding the West Bengal elections, where he had claimed that irregularities and manipulation had taken place and described such appointments as a “reward for a major heist.” According to Rajeev, if that represented the Congress party’s stand, the party should now explain whether the same principles apply in Kerala as well.

He further argued that officials who oversee elections should ideally maintain a distance from political appointments immediately after completing their responsibilities. Rajeev said that even a “cooling-off period” would normally be expected in such situations to preserve public confidence in the neutrality and credibility of the electoral system.

He also pointed out that the Election Commission generally insists that officers handling election-related responsibilities remain free from other assignments to ensure impartiality. Appointing such an official to a key political and administrative role immediately after elections, he argued, could raise questions about institutional credibility.

Rajeev demanded that the Congress national leadership and Rahul Gandhi clearly state whether the position adopted in West Bengal is different from the one now being followed in Kerala. Meanwhile, Left supporters have also raised similar concerns on social media regarding Khelkar’s appointment.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman